Motherhood Journey
There was a season when I genuinely believed I was a good mom. Like, really good. I had strategies, scriptures, and solid advice to share. I felt confident in the outcome of my efforts. My relationship with my kids felt strong. Even in hard moments, we were intentional, connected, and growing together.
Then, life shifted.
A season of breaking came, and I began to question everything I thought I knew. What once felt clear now felt cloudy. It wasn’t just one hard thing; it was everything all at once. A storm that didn’t knock politely but blew the doors off their hinges and tested the strength of my foundation.
And here’s the honest truth: I deeply desire strong, close relationships with my kids. I want them to talk to me, trust me, and yes, selfishly, I want them to like me. Most moms do. And while I believe closeness is possible (I’ve seen it in our home), I’ve also learned that good parenting doesn’t always feel good in the moment. Sometimes it doesn’t look like closeness. Sometimes it looks like boundaries, hard conversations, and uncomfortable distance.
If my goal is to be liked, I’m meeting my emotional needs, not theirs. But if the goal is their future, then I can press through the pain of discipline, knowing love sometimes says no, even when it’s misunderstood.
Let’s be real: every kid hates hearing, “This hurts me more than it hurts you.” I know I did, especially after being grounded for an entire summer! But now, as a mom, I get it. That ache of doing what’s best, even when it breaks your heart? It’s real.
We want to give our kids the world. But the world has nothing lasting to offer. What they really need is truth. They need a place where they can fall, fail, and still know they’re loved. They need a foundation in Christ that won’t crack under cultural pressure or teenage moods. They need consistency. They need the church, even when they don’t want to go. And they need consequences, not as punishment but as protection.
They need to see that faith isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision to follow God, even when emotions are all over the place. Our job isn’t to parent them according to trends but to guide them in truth.
Someone once told me, “You have to forgive your kids for how they come to know Jesus.” That hit me hard. Because we want their path to be easy, clean, and safe. But the truth is, even good parenting doesn’t eliminate hard choices. They still have their own journey, and sometimes it’s messy.
I haven’t gotten everything right. I’ve lost my temper. I’ve missed things I should’ve noticed. I’ve been too tough and not tough enough. And there were days I wondered, “Lord, when will they rise and call me blessed?” Preferably by Mother’s Day, right?
But over time, my prayers have changed. These days, whether I’m being woken up at 4am to pray or on a morning walk, I’m asking God to find them. Wherever they are, spiritually or physically, I’m asking Him to hold them steady, to make them uncomfortable in sin, and to lead them to His will.
Here’s what I know, even when I don’t feel it: I’m a good mom.
Not because everything is perfect. Not because I never mess up. But because I trust God more than I trust my parenting.
Because I’ve learned to listen when He speaks. I’ve learned to repent quickly when I get it wrong. And I’ve learned to let the Holy Spirit fill in the gaps where I fall short.
My foundation is Jesus. And because of that, I will not be shaken, no matter what storms come.
So to every mom reading this today: Be encouraged.
You can do hard things. You can weather difficult seasons. You can keep showing up, even when it feels like your efforts go unseen.
And even when the distance between you and your kids feels wide, the Holy Spirit is working behind the scenes.
God is not finished.
You’re not alone. You’re not failing. You can trust God with your children. You’re doing better than you think you are.
Keep going, mama. The fruit will come.
Here are some scriptures to encourage your soul:
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:29
Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:13
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
She is clothed with dignity and strength, and she laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25
